Existing security cameras, smart devices, and security systems for homes and commercial properties may be configured to use third-party apps or integrate with computer software to operate based on geofencing. The user may define a geo-fence, or geographic perimeter or border around a dwelling or building. Once the geo-fence border is crossed by a user or device, the camera or device associated to the dwelling or building performs an operation. The user's location may be relayed to a server through, for example, the user's mobile device, then location is analyzed by the server and communicated to the third-party app or computer software to operate the camera or device.
Geo-fencing may provide significant convenience for consumers by enabling automation of security and entry point devices such as a smart lock or garage door opener. Geo-fencing further may enable personal reminders to accomplish certain tasks when the user is in the area of a geo-fence as they approach a dwelling or commercial building. Moreover, consumer devices with geo-fencing capabilities or pets with geotags may be monitored to ensure they do not leave or alter the dwelling's or devices' geo-fence.
However, a number of security concerns exist with the use of geofencing. One security concern involves a geofence being triggered inadvertently to operate a smart lock or garage door opener to open as users move in and out of the perimeter of the geofence while approaching or leaving a dwelling. For example, the user may leave the dwelling by taking one or more alternate routes that fall inside and outside the perimeter of the geo-fence for a garage door opener. Upon entering and leaving the perimeter of the geo-fence for the garage door opener, the garage door opener will be triggered to open contemplating the user approaching to enter the dwelling when the user is crossing the geo-fence perimeter to leave the area of the dwelling.
In cases where the device is an entry point device, for example, a smart lock or garage door or gate opener, inadvertent triggering of the geofence to open a door or garage can pose serious security concerns. To account for inadvertent triggering of the geofence, the geo-fencing is complimented with the user's home or local WiFi™ connection and Bluetooth connection with the device to corroborate a user approaching a dwelling. Once the GPS location, WiFi™ and Bluetooth connections are confirmed the entry point device is triggered to open. While this may provide better security, a WiFi™ outage, Bluetooth bug, device issue may prevent the geo-fence from triggering the device or the device from operating. Moreover, verifying through Bluetooth, WiFi™, and user's GPS location information can cause substantial drain of resources of a mobile device or wearable device.
Furthermore, while utilizing these methods and resources may enable geo-fencing for entry, the same methods no longer work as users exit the dwelling and leave the geo-fence. To ensure the garage or door is closed and the dwelling is secure, the geo-fence perimeter must be impractically small which would be set by the user. The user must then determine how small to set the geo-fence perimeter, which invariably requires using Bluetooth, WiFi™, and other resources to constantly verify the location and intentions of the user.
In alternate cases, to account for a more secure method, the entry point device or mobile application or mobile device may become unresponsive due to the multitudes of resources, sometimes conflicting, that are used to establish a geo-fence crossing. In such instances, the device may not see a geo-fence crossing or respond fast enough to facilitate automation of operating an entry point device thus ruining the user experience or user convenience.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods that minimize computer resource usage for mobile and wearable devices for triggering a geo-fencing operation of a consumer device while ensuring the consumer device are not inadvertently triggered while entering and leaving a geo-fence perimeter.